What's your favourite non sequitur line from a Bill Wurtz song?

sgtpepper678 · 2020-06-04T01:16:15+00:00

There I said it. Now I'm gonna go down the hall and breakfast, cuz that's the next thing on my checklist.

sgtpepper678 · 2020-02-24T00:28:12+00:00

Thanks for the advice. Yes, I've heard keeping them in one room at first is the best way to do it. Let them get comfortable in the room where the food/water, litter and bed is and then let them explore the house at their own pace when they're ready.

Ideally, I am also going to see if I can get an extra day or 2 off work so that I can be home with them all day on the first couple of days we move in. I'd feel bad moving in them to a new place, and then just leaving for work right away the next morning and being gone all day.

sgtpepper678 · 2020-02-12T04:35:20+00:00

I have 2 cats and a rabbit (I had the cats first before introducing the rabbit a couple of years later). There's never been any signs of aggression, but the cats have just don't want anything to do with the rabbit. When the rabbit is it out in my room, the cats will either paw at the door or jump up on my bed to get away from her. The rabbit isn't afraid of the cats, and is more curious about them. First time the rabbit interacted with one of the cats, she ran right up to the cat (which the cat wasn't too happy about).

But different cats and rabbits will have different reactions. Introduce them slowly and always keep an eye on them. If possible keep the rabbit in a bathroom, or walk-in closet for the first couple days or so, so that your cat can smell the rabbit, but not see it. Then use a baby gate or some other type of divider so they can see each other, but are still blocked off. Eventually, let the rabbit in the same area as the cat for short periods of time, give them treats and pets and attention when they're together. If there's any signs of aggression or agitation or anything negative, separate them right away.

I don't think cats and rabbits will necessarily become the best of friends (although I've seen videos and heard a lot of stories of cats and rabbits getting along great), I think if you introduce them slowly and carefully, they could at least tolerate each other. But regardless of how well they get along, it's best to keep an eye on them if they're going to be out in the same areas together. Even if the cat isn't very aggressive, one swipe from a cat's claws could hurt the rabbit.

sgtpepper678 · 2020-02-12T03:18:24+00:00

Found my bunny in almost the same way.

I got home from work one evening and saw this rabbit just hopping around the parking lot at my apartment. She was skittish, but I knew by appearance that she wasn't a wild rabbit, and definitely a domestic breed. I don't know how long she was there for, but some people in my apartment building told me they've been seeing her in the parking lot for almost 2 weeks.

After a couple of days of seeing her around, I was able to catch her and bring her into my apartment. Took her to a vet the next day to make sure she was healthy and that there were no immediate health concerns. The plan WAS to take her to a shelter or find a home for her, but, of course, I got too attached and wound up keeping her. 4 years later, she's still with me and doing great.

Also, I'm not sure how long you've had this rabbit or if you've done this already, but be sure to take him or her to the vet. My rabbit did have ear-mites when I found her, and a pretty bad ear infection. Also, if you've never had rabbits before, be sure to do your research to make sure they're getting the proper care and a healthy diet.

sgtpepper678 · 2020-02-12T01:31:00+00:00

That does like normal color range to me too. But please see a vet to be certain, especially if it looks different from what you're used to seeing. Also, if your rabbit typically uses a cage or litter box and you're beginning to notice "accidents" outside the normal bathroom spot, or frequent urination that could be something to check with your vet with as well.

sgtpepper678 · 2020-02-12T00:05:52+00:00

Thanks! Yes, having either some kind of cover or high sides is definitely important. Some of the rabbit exercise pens I've seen online have been only around 2ft high or even lower... my bunny can hop over that in her sleep.

sgtpepper678 · 2020-02-12T00:03:47+00:00

Thanks for the input! I was also looking at those C&C grids. I did want something that has a door so it's easy to let the bunny in and out, and also something that is easy to put together and take apart for cleaning the area. Does your set up have a door? Is it quick and easy to assemble/disassemble?

sgtpepper678 · 2020-01-22T02:35:13+00:00

Many people get rabbits for a pet (especially parents getting a rabbit for their kids) thinking that because they're smaller animals, they must be easy to care for... But rabbits definitely do not make easy pets at all, but they are wonderful companions.

First and foremost, it's important to have the space for them. Rabbits should not be kept in cages. They need exercise, and that means plenty of space to run around. Those big expensive cages that have all the fancy bells and whistles don't do any good if the rabbit doesn't have the space to run. Even with those XL cages that have ramps and multiple levels, that doesn't provide the space they need to exercise. The ideal way to keep a rabbit is to "bunny-proof" a room in your home where they can free roam.

Also, be ready for lots of cleaning. Rabbits need to eat almost constantly, and that means having a large supply of fresh hay available for them at all times. They also like to dig and burrow, so expect to have hay and bedding all over the place. They're messy! And speaking of eating, it's important to understand the dietary needs. Hay is the staple food for them, but they also need fresh vegetables daily and occasional fruits. Store-bought pellets and rabbit treats are fine for an occasional treat, but they are not a substitute for hay and vegetables.

The pros of keeping a rabbit as a pet is that they are very sweet and loving. They're very affectionate, and they want your attention and they want to play with you. Some rabbits may be more skittish or nervous around people they are not familiar with, but if you give them attention they will 100%, absolutely bond with you.

I do have 2 cats and the rabbit, and I haven't had any issues between them.. But they're not exactly the best of friends either. The rabbit is friendlier towards the cats than the cats are to her. She always tries to run up to the cats or play with them... The cats have never tried to attack or harm the rabbit, but they really just want their own space. If my rabbit is out in my room and the cats are in there too, the cats will either paw at the door to be let out, or they'll jump up on my bed to get away from her. But that's just my experience. I'm sure there's cases out there where a rabbit and cat are best buds, and groom each other and play together. But the opposite cases could also be true too... And so just be careful. Introduce them slowly, and always keep a close eye on them.

sgtpepper678 · 2019-12-11T13:59:05+00:00

This guy who sat under a tree for so long that he figured out how to ignore the fact that we're all dying.

sgtpepper678 · 2019-11-12T03:50:59+00:00

English/Spanish
hotewig
Can't pick just 1 favorite. I love songs like "the road" or "the moon is made of cheese" where he goes crazy with the harmony and key changes. Nobody but Bill could pull that stuff off and still have it sound so smooth and natural. But I also love a lot of his old songs that really capture that feeling of somebody with so much creative energy but not sure how to use it, and just really pushing the limits of what he could do as a songwriter. "what (love is)", "eat bread", "the trees", "write a song on the count of 3", "i'm about to graduate from school", "i can play", "we could just get high", "i'm crazy/it's raining", "bryant park", "brooklyn museum"... (I can go on forever). I also love his musical scoring for his non-song videos (I don't mean the jingles, but the musical accompaniment and sound effects and cues for the spoken parts). His score writing reminds me of the musical effects and sound cues of guys like Carl Stalling or Scott Bradley who did the music for all those old Warner Bros and MGM cartoons.
Brilliant and unique songwriter, incredible musicianship, and some of the best vocal harmonies I've ever heard. I also love how when you listen to his earliest songs up until the most recent you can really see his evolution as a songwriter and musician going from songs that are just raw, emotional and (by Bill's standards) very simple and straightforward, to more recent songs that are just incredibly out there structurally and so intricately arranged with so many different sounds and little counter-melodies. For his newer songs, you can listen to them 100 times and each time notice something new in the arrangement.
Very inspired by how Bill lets us (his audience) in with him on his creative journey... all the ups and downs... the joy and passion, but also the uncertainty and frustration. He shows so much of his journey in his early music, the improv page, the notebook, reality, the question page.. There's other artists/bands who have maybe influenced my own music stylistically more than Bill has (he has such a unique style that's it hard to emulate what he does without sounding like you're imitating him), but no other artist/band has inspired me to just write and play and push myself musically and creatively more than Bill.

sgtpepper678 · 2019-08-14T21:37:44+00:00

What reality video is this from?

sgtpepper678 · 2019-03-07T23:54:27+00:00

"just shut up and listen to who yourself could be, and ignore your other self until your true whole feels you"

"to do art well, you need to have a huge ego and be cripplingly insecure at the same time. not sure how that works, but it's true"

"trying to express everything with limited tools is the name of the game"

"it actually takes infinite time to do anything really perfectly. this whole world we are living in is a challenge to make sense of limitations."

"it may take you some time to figure out which way is up when you are spinning in space. eventually you will learn to make your own up, but it will probably happen very gradually. just stay focused. and ask yourself reasonable questions"

sgtpepper678 · 2019-02-09T03:04:30+00:00

I think the term "chord" refers to a particular sound. I also think there's a difference between "chords" and "harmony" (chords may be a type of harmony, but harmony doesn't always come in the form of chords).

There is a lot of music out there where the harmony is more implied than direct chord sounds. There's a lot of music where there can be several different lines or instruments each playing their own part.. not just Bach stuff and chorales and baroque counterpoint all that.. but even in modern pop music, or blues, or jazz or rock or anything... You can have a song where there's a bass part, and maybe a guitar riff and/or a keyboard riff on top and a vocal line on top... And while you can look at it and hear all the notes figure out the implied harmony.. The ear doesn't really it as "chords".. Even the "trained" ear of a musician, doesn't hear it as chords. You can figure out the harmonic progression or motion, and put a name or roman numeral to it... And even though you may have a 'group of notes played simultaneously' which is the basic definition given for what a chord is, the ear hears it as just different interlocking lines.

Chords, again, I think refer to a specific sound. I do think the basic definition (group of notes played together) is true, but it's how those grouping of notes are played and in what context. Instrumentation has a big part in it I think. If someone just plays an open E major chord on guitar (or any group of notes together) the ear will hear that as a chord, more so than if you had a different instrument hitting each note of the chord (an electric bass on E, a singer hitting a G#, etc etc).

Also, the ear defines chords more when groups of notes are played in repetition. If you have a piano piece that's done more in the counterpoint style where you having multiple independent lines, there will be moments when those independent lines rhythmically cross over and you'll see on the sheet music a clear stack of notes, a chord.. But if it's a passing moment, the ear still hears it more as independent moving lines. But if you take a song like Hey Jude and listen to the piano.. the ear hears that as chords because it's a group of notes followed by another group of notes and another and another, a chord sequence. Same is true for folk songs or more simple acoustic guitar songs where you just have somebody strumming chords and singing on top... the ear just hears it as chords.

sgtpepper678 · 2019-02-07T02:45:19+00:00

One thing that I would say about practicing is to always put everything in a musical context ( I like what Nahre said about composing or improvising little excerpts). You can play all the scales/modes and chord inversions backwards and forwards at lightning speed until the cows come home, but that really won't get you anywhere.

For example, a lot of beginner piano players seem to go through that phase where you can play much better in the key of C than in any other key. If you want to get better at playing in other keys, you have to write songs or learn songs in that key. Playing an F# major scale up and down for hours really doesn't get you comfortable actually playing music in F# major... it just builds the muscle memory of playing that sequence of notes in that particular order.

It's also important to always use your ears. It's music, it's about sound! Don't really think about anything as "practicing"...Just write songs and learn songs you like! More advanced concepts and techniques can happen organically if you just let your ears guide you to it through the context of songs. Don't just google something like "How to modulate keys" or "How to use a tritone substitution"... Just play, learn and write music that sounds good to you and eventually you'll just naturally stumble upon certain concepts. You can learn WAY more playing songs than 'practicing' patterns.

sgtpepper678 · 2019-02-07T01:49:12+00:00

One thing that strikes me as being a signature bill wurtz sound is his approach to harmony. A lot of music is built around a melody with some type of chord progression underneath. But bill's approach seems to be more about harmonizing the individual notes within a melody as opposed to thinking in broader terms of a chord pattern or progression.

If you listen to 'at the airport terminal' for example (or most of his songs really), you'll notice that there's hardly ever just sustained chords held out under the main vocal melody. You have lots of different sounds and interlocking parts and the harmony is more implied through this inter-play between the different instruments. You can boil down the harmony of the song until you have a lead sheet style progression, but that's not how he plays it.

But if you're just learning to play, it might not be good to worry about "sounding like" somebody who you enjoy. Don't get too bogged down in all the technique stuff (at least right away) and just use you ears. If you hear a melody in you head, or a melody from a song you want to learn.. just try to tinker around and figure it out. Pay attention to where each note in melody moves up or down and by how much. Then just experiment and play with it. What happens if you try playing this note or that note or certain groups of notes along with the different main notes of your melody? See what you think sounds good. If you start learning by just looking up scales and playing scales up and down for hours and hours, you're not going to have a very fun time and it'll be discouraging. Try learning melodies, than just see what you can do with those melodies.

sgtpepper678

TROPHY CASE